The present invention relates to a crash box for installation between a bumper beam and a side rail of a motor vehicle.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
A bumper structure is typically mounted to the front or rear of a motor vehicle to convert generated impact energy into deformation work in the event of a collision with an obstacle, so as to prevent or minimize damage to vehicle components, in particular the chassis, and thus to limit the amount of damage. The bumper structure includes a bumper beam which is secured transversely to the side rails of the vehicle frame, with crash boxes being installed between the bumper beam and the side rails. The bumper beam transmits energy caused by an impact into the crash boxes by which the impact energy is converted into deformation work. The bumper structure is hereby configured in such a way that the crash box seats substantially in midsection on the side rail and impact energy is transmitted via the bumper beam into the crash boxes and thus into the side rails at smallest possible bending moment. Crash boxes are oftentimes screwed to the side rails via flange plates.
It would be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved crash box to obviate prior art shortcomings.